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Workplace violence in hospital settings has become an issue of national urgency, only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Inova Health System, Northern Virginia’s leading nonprofit health system, in 2021 faced 648 reported instances of such violence. Incidents have been on the rise, mirroring trends across the nation.

In response to this national crisis, Inova’s senior leadership formed a multidisciplinary team to evaluate workplace violence across the enterprise. Inova implemented a multi-tiered approach, which focused on analyzing workplace violence data, developing employee engagement strategies, and ensuring system-wide buy-in. As a result, Inova’s hospitals have seen a reduction in the severity and frequency of injuries in its emergency departments (EDs) and behavioral health units.